[Megathread] Final Fantasy XIV

[Kelimbror]

This brings back memories of EQs hell levels before they got rid of them. Good old level 45 and 59, fuck you level 59 and me not getting into Old Seb runs.

To be fair leveling is an outdated mode of play that exists merely as a small content delivery tool, player learning curve, narration device, and ultimately a small gating mechanic. It does next to nothing to service the actual gameplay motivations (beyond basic mechanics) and player progression so prolonging the experience is a hinderance.

Any fond memories divergent from that theory are simply nostalgia. I love leveling a good deal actually, I don't know why...there's something straight forward and rewarding about it, but even I know it's not good for players to have it extended for arbitrary reasons. Blizzard recently stated that they counted on leveling as actual content for many years, but realize that's not what works for players anymore. More content and shorter leveling is a more tangiblem, efficient, and rewarding design.

It's also why a game with no endgame is going to fail exceptionally and quickly. (not talking about this game or any game specifically)

[DeadmanWalking]

Once again, since people clearly don't understand: It's not a comment on the concept or functionality of a rollback. It's a statement that it happened. People don't need to keep trying to start arguments that didn't exist. Jesus.

Any negative implications, positive implications, or anything beyond the objective statement: 'this happened' is being created by the reader.

Who the F is arguing? You give a comment and then I respond with a comment, thats how intellectual discussion works. Quit being so damned defencive.

[Loyrl]

Holy shit. You were that the Black Mage?

It's the tanker here. but the other guy was a Dragoon, not a Bard...

I don't think I have grouped with a Dragoon in a dungeon.

[Faroth]

This brings back memories of EQs hell levels before they got rid of them. Good old level 45 and 59, fuck you level 59 and me not getting into Old Seb runs.

/curl up in a ball and rock back and forth

You're not on mine so NAH NAH! *Sticks tongue out*

Would that be Balmung? My 1.0 Legacy character is still sitting there.

.......what's up now?

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To be fair leveling is an outdated mode of play that exists merely as a small content delivery tool, player learning curve, narration device, and ultimately a small gating mechanic. It does next to nothing to service the actual gameplay motivations (beyond basic mechanics) and player progression so prolonging the experience is a hinderance.

I completely disagree. A well made MMO design means that the experiences in the mid level are just as memorable, if not moreso, than the end game content. The problem is the genre has grown fat off the notion that the only content players care about is max level raiding, which I would argue is a fallacy. If you have solid, quality content, the leveling experience is just as enjoyable and exciting.

It's also why a game with no endgame is going to fail exceptionally and quickly. (not talking about this game or any game specifically)

Sandbox MMOs disagree. Star Wars Galaxies particularly disagrees (before NGE made the game go sideways). But we won't get into non ARR debate here, my green man.

[Kalyyn]

Sandbox MMOs disagree. Star Wars Galaxies particularly disagrees (before NGE made the game go sideways). But we won't get into non ARR debate here, my green man.

An elegant MMO from a more civilized age. These days, your average mmo-player has spent so long being told how to have fun that they are literally incapable of creating their own content. If you give them an open sea of endless possibility, they're still going to cling to structured progression like a life-preserver, because that's all they know.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Personally Leveling isn't all that great as people make it out to be. If you focus just on leveling. You'll screw over everything else.

An elegant MMO from a more civilized age. These days, your average mmo-player has spent so long being told how to have fun that they are literally incapable of creating their own content. If you give them an open sea of endless possibility, they're still going to cling to structured progression like a life-preserver, because that's all they know.

Civilized? HAH!

[Alexeiblu]

I managed to get my character made on Gilgamesh! Yay for community selected RP servers! ^_^

Okay....hooooooold up. I have a lvl 15 toon on an EU server and I have been wanting to make a new one on a North American server (no offense but that random time when you ask someone "what does this mean?" and they respond in French or German doesnt really help me lol). So I got home from my beer league hockey game late last and was able to make a toon on Gilgamesh. Now I am finding out that it's an RP server....

My question, I am not really an RP person myself (Not that I don't like it, just not for me). Would playing this toon on an RP server effect how I play the game or my experience of the game?? Cause I am having a blast on the EU server besides the whole language barrier thing lol.

[Kelimbror]

Who the F is arguing? You give a comment and then I respond with a comment, thats how intellectual discussion works. Quit being so damned defencive.

You are like the third person to drone on about this topic, when no response was necessaery in the first place. I'm the one clarfying my statement repeatedly. I reserve the right to be annoyed at people intentionally adding their own value to my statements. Sorry it offends you, but it's the way it is.

I completely disagree. A well made MMO design means that the experiences in the mid level are just as memorable, if not moreso, than the end game content. The problem is the genre has grown fat off the notion that the only content players care about is max level raiding, which I would argue is a fallacy. If you have solid, quality content, the leveling experience is just as enjoyable and exciting.

It's nothing to argue as it's not an opinion. I didn't say they only 'care' about it. I have no concern for 'feels' in my statement. I'm talking about principles of design. Endgame gameplay is the purpose of the game design. Pre endgame only facilitates you beginning the endgame. That is a factual set of logical principles that is dictated by design.

What impact it has on you in hindsight or emotionally during the experience is just as irrelevant. It isn't the point of game design.

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Sandbox MMOs disagree. Star Wars Galaxies particularly disagrees (before NGE made the game go sideways). But we won't get into non ARR debate here, my green man.

Changing a mode of play doesn't change game design. It is about the gameplay and an end game that services that play. Being a sandbox game doesn't somehow negate that concept. And don't mistake my direct assertion of facts and opinions and emotions as somehow invalidating your feelings on a personal level. I too enjoy the intangible and secondary design principles, so I'm with you personally.

It's just that objectively what we feel is irrelevant.

[Faroth]

Okay....hooooooold up. I have a lvl 15 toon on an EU server and I have been wanting to make a new one on a North American server (no offense but that random time when you ask someone "what does this mean?" and they respond in French or German doesnt really help me lol). So I got home from my beer league hockey game late last and was able to make a toon on Gilgamesh. Now I am finding out that it's an RP server....

My question, I am not really an RP person myself (Not that I don't like it, just not for me). Would playing this toon on an RP server effect how I play the game or my experience of the game?? Cause I am having a blast on the EU server besides the whole language barrier thing lol.

Nah, there won't be any affect on you whatsoever. It's not an official RP server, it's just the one RPers have adopted for new characters (non-Legacy). So you'll see more RP as you walk around cities, but you won't be forced to take part. The majority of RPers don't force RP on others and often there's not much time for RP in dungeons (unless it's a full group pre-made and intending to RP out the experience as an actual exploration).

The primary thing you'll notice being around a bunch of dorky RPers is more names that hold to naming conventions for the race and fit more for the world. Being amongst RPers lowers the chance you'll see names like "Public Toilet" (which I saw on another server on launch day).

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The only difference is being your character Vs playing your character. Not really sure what the whole "RP" server thing is about however since I don't think it is a label imposed by SE?

Correct. The RP community congregated there and have adopted it (Balmung for Legacy server as the RP adopted as well). It's not a Square sanctioned label.

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It's nothing to argue as it's not an opinion. I didn't say they only 'care' about it. I have no concern for 'feels' in my statement. I'm talking about principles of design. Endgame gameplay is the purpose of the game design. Pre endgame only facilitates you beginning the endgame. That is a factual set of logical principles that is dictated by design.

What impact it has on you in hindsight or emotionally during the experience is just as irrelevant. It isn't the point of game design.

But sadly the argument there leads to suggesting that the leveling experience should be negated entirely, much like players who argue 1-90 should be removed and all new WoW players should start fully statted, geared, and talented at 90 upon character creation because "leveling is meaningless." An MMO designed with the intent of ignoring leveling and bypassing it as quickly as possible to access a different part of the game is poor game design. A balanced design is one where both are fun.

You don't design Super Mario Bros. so that all levels are dull, boring, or so easy you just press the direction pad until you get to the end so the final level with Bowser is fun because that's the end game design you've been moving towards.

So I don't see leveling an outdated game design outside of the notion that it's an artificial progression and in that regard it could be removed and a better design put in its place.

Changing a mode of play doesn't change game design. It is about the gameplay and an end game that services that play. Being a sandbox game doesn't somehow negate that concept. And don't mistake my direct assertion of facts and opinions and emotions as somehow invalidating your feelings on a personal level. I too enjoy the intangible and secondary design principles, so I'm with you personally.

It can change the design, which is where a lot of buzz from EQN is coming from. But I don't want to derail FF XIV with EQN discussion. PM if you'd like to discuss further, though!

[mkultra55]

I'm just wondering who's socketing stuff for all those level 50's. They obviously have ignored Crafting.

[Valenhil]

I don't think I have grouped with a Dragoon in a dungeon.

Paladin, Black Mage, White Mage and Dragoon, that was the party. It was on Leviathan, the WHM and DRG shared a last name, and we had a bit of trouble with those typhoons, right?

[Jaronicity]

I completely disagree. A well made MMO design means that the experiences in the mid level are just as memorable, if not moreso, than the end game content. The problem is the genre has grown fat off the notion that the only content players care about is max level raiding, which I would argue is a fallacy. If you have solid, quality content, the leveling experience is just as enjoyable and exciting.

The thing is that leveling is a finite thing until an expansion (generally). Endgame is always there and can always be added ad infinitum. That said, I fondly remember my first MMO leveling experience in Vanilla WoW - and to a lesser extent, TBC - and the awe of it all. I still talk to my brother about the people we met while leveling and the hilarious or infuriating things we came across. SWTOR had a great leveling experience for me as well and one I went through more than once - something unheard of for me. Unfortunately, at the finish line there wasn't a whole lot to keep me engaged.

As for people only caring about max level raiding, I'd say a fair portion probably do, but that's why it's equally important to put things into a game that allows max level players to do other things (and hopefully that's more than the same 10 dailies). Solid, quality leveling content will only get you so far....until there is no more leveling to be had.

Can't comment on SW:G because my experiences are limited to theme parks.

EDIT: And to keep this FF related....I want to buy this so badly (boxed probably since I like material things!) but I just don't want to get to the end, whenever that may be, and realize it's just the same 3 things over and over again. I'm really close to just going to EB Games and seeing if it's there.....NA servers working ok?

[threads]

Logging in with no queue or errors is pretty cool.

[Faroth]

EDIT: And to keep this FF related....I want to buy this so badly (boxed probably since I like material things!) but I just don't want to get to the end, whenever that may be, and realize it's just the same 3 things over and over again. I'm really close to just going to EB Games and seeing if it's there.....NA servers working ok?

The way I look at an MMO without endgame or uncertain endgame is this:

Did you get 60 hours of gameplay from the purchase leveling to endgame?
If so, you've gotten your console game's worth of play time out of the purchase. If you cancel and don't play again, you still got your initial purchase's money's worth.

Final Fantasy MMOs moreso because of their well done overarching storylines as part of the leveling experience.

[Loyrl]

Paladin, Black Mage, White Mage and Dragoon, that was the party. It was on Leviathan, the WHM and DRG shared a last name, and we had a bit of trouble with those typhoons, right?

It was a guild run, the duty finder isn't for one server. Similar experience though, I forgot that the PLD solo'd the last % on the tornado drake and stood standing over our corpses. It was all of our first run.

I wish they had a /play /age command, I think I have already put in enough hours (~50 semi no lifer) for a box cost, even though I didn't buy ARR. Already own the 1.0 physical CE.

[Icycoldd]

Does anyone know if the character transfers will be from high pop to the new servers or will it be anywhere? I'm on a open server now (Faerie) but I'd like to transfer to Behemoth where my friends are when the transfers open.

[Alexeiblu]

Nah, there won't be any affect on you whatsoever. It's not an official RP server, it's just the one RPers have adopted for new characters (non-Legacy). So you'll see more RP as you walk around cities, but you won't be forced to take part. The majority of RPers don't force RP on others and often there's not much time for RP in dungeons (unless it's a full group pre-made and intending to RP out the experience as an actual exploration).

The primary thing you'll notice being around a bunch of dorky RPers is more names that hold to naming conventions for the race and fit more for the world. Being amongst RPers lowers the chance you'll see names like "Public Toilet" (which I saw on another server on launch day).

Sweet! Thank you so so much! I probably would've cried if I saw the name "Public Toilet". I have seen some pretty damn good ones though lol.

[Deleted]

ye theres some silly names, some come to mind that ive grouped with, weed smoke, Mr Strife....

[DeadmanWalking]

Does anyone know if the character transfers will be from high pop to the new servers or will it be anywhere? I'm on a open server now (Faerie) but I'd like to transfer to Behemoth where my friends are when the transfers open.

No one knows but if I were to guess they server transfers will be paid unless they occaisionally offer free transfer from a high pop to a lower pop server. The paid part keeps gold sellers from moving product from server to server freely. However, due to difficulties in the beginning I would not be surprised if they gave us a 1 time free transfer to the server of your choice within reason, if everyone wants on giglamesh they may well close that one server to transfers at a certain point.

[Ricg]

are there any FC's in exodus recruiting tanks by any chance? http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodest...71/blog/98196/